A CARVED ZITAN 'LOTUS LEAF AND FROG' STAND QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the wood of a rich brown tone, carved in relief and openwork in the form of an inverted lotus leaf, the stem curling around to form the upper rim of the stand, deftly adorned with a high-relief frog climbing up the leaf, the recessed underside naturalistically incised with a network of veins, radiating from a central boss inscribed in gilt with the character bing ('third')

Apart from some minor surface scratches on the interior walls on the underside and a couple of small age cracks on the right near the footrim, the overall condition is very good. The actual colour is darker and warmer compared to the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Naturalistic zitan stands, as the present example, were produced at the Qing Court, especially during the reign of the Qianlong emperor. This stand, in the form of a lotus leaf with a single frog climbing up its side, is special not only for the quality of its finish but for bearing the bing character filled-in with gilt on its base. This character is taken from the ten stems of the cyclical dating system, a system that was used by the Qianlong emperor for numbering sets of items where the correct position in the sequence needed indicating.

For examples of zitan leaf-form stands see one sold in these rooms, 28th April 1992, lot 287; and another offered at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th April 1995, lot 531.